A gluten free experiment

So the other weekend I had bought those cook books on sale right? And when I got home, one of the books had gluten-free recipes in the back, do you remember this? Well, I found a little recipe that I thought Sam would enjoy! Carmel Corn Flake bars.

This particular recipe called for GL Flour Mix. Well it just so happens I was fresh out!

But thanks to www.celiac.com I was able to log on and use their flour recipe. You see, you can’t just substitute 2 cups regular flour for 2 cups brown rice flour, or whatever gluten-free flour you have. Sometimes its a combination of 4-6 types of flours, and sometimes it is just brown rice. But it’s never an equal substitute of regular flour. And it’s always an experiment for me! You truly never know how it is going to turn out. So, with this recipe, I thought I would give it a go.

Makes 12 – Pre heat oven to 375 F and proceed to line a shallow cake tin/dish/whatever you have on hand with baking parchment or wax paper. (Allow paper to be wider than the tin so you can lift the finished product at the end).

Crust:

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

2-1/2 cups Gluten Free Flour

1 egg, beaten

For the topping:

2 tbsp light corn syrup

14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup butter

6 tbsp sour cream

2 cup cornflakes

option – confectioners’ sugar

We start by making the crust. Melt butter in a pan, then remove from heat. Combine sugar and flour in bowl and add beaten egg and melted butter and mix well.

The mixture is not going to be like most traditional crusts you’ve made. It’s more gritty and crumbly. This recipe worked well in the fact that you didn’t have to add water until it was the appropriate consistency, so just follow the recipe and you’ll be fine. When everything is combined, press firmly into your baking dish.

A hint I have: when using GF flour – thinner equals better. Which is REALLY hard for me. I love nothing more than biting into something with crust, and the crust being thick and flaky and wonderfully butter-tasting. But that is not the case with GF crust. It cooks entirely different and the flavors are so unique, you really want to thin it out. Otherwise it can come out cooked uneven and have the consistency of a yeast roll. Which is just really awkward and disappointing. So – thin is in with the GF.

Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown – and I like to hear a nice sizzle! :)

For the topping, heat syrup, condensed milk and butter over low heat for about 10-15 minutes. Stir it occasionally and let it thicken up. Be careful not to burn your milk! I have done this before and its AWFUL! Keep the heat low and be verrry verrry patient. Love your carmel sauce, work with it…

While that is heating, I took my cornflakes and smashed the crud out of them. Ok, not really that much – but if you need to vent any built up frustration, this is a good point in the recipe for you. I figured the corn flakes would go farther and feel better to bite into if they were smaller. I didn’t smash them into super tiny pieces, I just squeezed and broke the flakes up a little bit.

When your sauce is ready, remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. At this point your crust should be out of the oven, and you are ready to pour your sauce alllll over it!

My camera was not working with me on these steps (or I just didn’t know what I was doing. Let’s be honest – I love photography, but my little Fuji Film just aint cuttin’ it!)

When you pour your sauce, sprinkle with the corn flakes and add the confectioners’ sugar if you so desire. And bada-boom – your done! Now, leave it to sit for a bit! Don’t go cutting into it right away. That sauce needs to chill out.

There we have it kiddo-s!

So, how did it taste you ask … a little “meh” for my liking…

I know! I’m disappointed! The cornflake and carmel-y sauce were an awesome combination, I really enjoyed the topping. But both Sam and I agreed the crust was … too thick. Which is why I need to reiterate to make it thin. Sometime i get excited and think I can make a nice thick GF crust, and I just cant. Not with that recipe (from Celiac.com). The GF Flour I used calls for a lot of brown rice flour and the rice was such a prevalent flavor that it was really all you could taste. So, Sam and I just picked at the topping for a couple days; seeing as this baked good was not a treat to be brought into work!

But don’t you worry. I made a pumpkin pie for Sam, for his work pie pitch in – with a GF crust – and it was amazing. The crust was awesome. But that blog will be tomorrow. It’s my time to decompress, watch So You Think You Can Dance on my DVR, and cuddle with my man, Kimoni. Ha.